Susie, I agree that this type of policy is certainly easier than fighting Big Corn, but I just want to give the public health perspective on this. For authorities who don’t have the jurisdiction, authority, or guts to take on something like Big Corn, a policy outlawing megacalories delivery system like this is a viable option. The key is to think of the outcome for the population, not for individuals. Yes, as Melissa and countless others pointed out, individuals are free to get multiple small soda containers. However, this policy does *reduce* the one-time intake of a soda purchase (remember that multiple studies have shown that people consume based on container size versus feeling of fullness, the corollary is the increasing portion size in the US over the years, as food manufacturers figured out a way to increase their profit).

So this policy may not affect one individual that much (a fat person may remain fat, or a thin person may remain thin), but magnified by a population level, the reduction of calorie intake is significant. And, though it’s easy to mock such regulations, they do work. Also see Marion Nestle’s comment on the subject: http://www.foodpolitics.com/2012/09/regulations-do-change-eating-behavior/